Reflector for musical wind instruments



Jane W, 195% Q. Q. SWHHART REFLECTOR FOR MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENTS Filed April 27, 1948 IN V EN TOR. 011/672 6'. fizz/z 7 Patented Jan. 17, V 1950 REFLECTOR FOR MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENTS Owen o. Swihart, South Bend, Ind.

Application April 27, 1948, Serial No. 23,580

Claims.

The present invention relates to sound reflectors for musical wind instruments, such as saxophones, and has for its main object the provision of a disengageable shield attachable to the rim of the bell of the instrument for the purpose of deflecting the sound emanating from the bell towards the player in order that the player may more readily hear the sounds either for his personal satisfaction or to improve his intonation.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a shield of the character indicated, made of a suitable material, such as plastic or the like, and in a substantially semi-cylindrical formation, with means provided at one end thereof whereby the shield may be readily engaged with or disengaged from the usual bead provided at the marginal edge of the instrument bell.

With the above general objects in view and others that will appear as the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a saxophone with the present device in an operative association therewith;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the bell of a saxophone with the present invention in an operative association therewith;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the bell of a saxophone with the shield constituting the subject-matter of the present application in engagement with the bell bead; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on a vertical plane through the shield and the saxophone bell, the view having been taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the present drawing there is shown therein a saxophone which includes mouth piece l0, body H, and bell l2. Said bell I2 is at an angle with relation to body H, and is outwardly flaring. Its marginal edge is provided with a circumferential, outwardly curling bead l3, which is on a plane oblique to said body II.

The shield constituting the subject-matter of the present application includes substantially semi-cylindrical body portion [4 having its upper end made arcuate, as at [5. Viewing the shield from the side it is wider at its lower end and narrower at its upper end, with the forward edge 2 thereof, which is median of the two side edges, made slightly outwardly flaring, as at 16.

The lower end edge of said shield 14 is downwardly slanting from the side edges thereof and is in an oblique relation with the body of shield l4 and the median edge l6 thereof, and is there provided with an outwardly bulging, substantially U-shaped bead retaining member I! for receiving therewithin head 13, which is frictionally gripped by said member I? for maintaining shield M in an operative position on bell [2.

It is observed that in the operative position of shield I4 upon bell I2, the median edge [6 of the former remains in a substantially parallel relation with body ll of the instrument. Thus, the lower end of the shield and the bead retaining member I! are so shaped that said member I! remains in a coplanar relation with bead I3 and on an angular plane with relation to body H, while said median edge It remains in a substantially parallel relation with said body II, as is seen in Fig. 1.

From the relative position of the parts shown in Fig. 1, it will be readily apparent that the longitudinal axis of bell I2 is in an angular relation with the wall of shield [4, so that sound waves emanating from bell I2 strike the wall of shield l4 and are deflected thereby toward the player, when said shield l4 remains in an operative position on bell l2, as is seen in Fig. 1, that is when said shield l4 remain-s upon bead l3 and forwardly of bell l2.

For best results it is preferable that shield l4 should skirt the edge of bell I2 to the extent of degrees.

From the hereinabove description it will be readily apparent that through the medium of bead retaining member I! the shield may be readily engaged with or disengaged from bell II by merely shifting said member I! into one or opposite direction along the plane coincidental with the plane of bead l3. When shield I4 is made of transparent material, such as plastic or the like, it will hardly be noticeable, and will thereby not attract any undue attention to the player from the audience, while at the same time affording pleasure to the player by permitting him to hear his own music.

While there is described herein a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. A sound reflector for musical wind instruments comprising a shield of a semi-cylindrical formation on a, transverse cross-section, and means at one end of said shield for disengageably attaching the same to the bell of the instrument.

2. A sound reflector for musical wind instruments, comprising a shield of a semi-cylindrical formation on a transverse cross-section, one of the ends of said shield being provided with an oblique edge with relation to the body of said shield, said edge gradually tapering from the median line of said shield toward the side edges thereof, and means at said edge for disengageably attaching said shield to the rim of the bell of the instrument.

3. A sound reflector for musical wind instruments, comprising a shield of a semi-cylindrical formation on a transverse cross-section, and an integrally formed and outwardly projecting molding at one end of said shield, said molding being of substantially U-shaped formation for receiving therewithin the rim of the bell of the musical instrument for disengageably supporting said shield thereon.

4. A sound reflector for musical wind instruments, comprising a shield of a, semi-cylindrical formation on a transverse cross-section, and

ably supporting the same at the front rim portion of the bell of the instrument in an elevated position with relation to the bell of the instrument, the longitudinal axis of said shield remaining in an angular relation to the longitudinal axis of the bell for deflecting sounds emanating from the bell toward the player of the musical instrument.

5. A sound reflector for musical wind instruments, comprising a shield of a semi-cylindrical formation, and means at one end of said shield for disengageably attaching the same to the rim of the bell of the instrument, the arc of said shield substantially corresponding to the arc of said rim.

OWEN C. SWIHART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 623,912 Kiefer Apr. 25, 1899 931,273 Conn Aug. 17, 1909 1,721,764 Berg July 23, 1929 

